Site work defines all the work on a construction project that is done to the location, rather than what’s being built on the location. Site work focuses on preparing the site for whatever will be built on it later. It is an essential part of the construction process that helps everything else move along smoothly. Read on to learn everything you need to know about site work and why it is so important to construction.

Site Work 101

Site work is essential to a successful construction project. It is the base of all of the other work done on a project. The foundation is the start of the building, but site work is the start of the project in full. It consists of tasks such as excavation, grading, landscaping, and paving. All of these steps help make the location a suitable environment for whatever building is being built there.

While site work is essential, no matter the project, it is one of the most essential steps for projects in Florida. This is due to the number of environmental issues that the state presents. For sitework everything from the type of soil to local vegetation is an important thing to consider. This also includes factors such as underground water level and where the flood plain is.

Stabilizing

Stabilization is the process of making the soil steady enough to build on top of. Most soil in Florida has a high level of plasticity. Plasticity is the shift in a material between when it is damp and when it is dry. In Florida, the constant humidity and rain level leads to the soil shifting quite a bit.

The process of stabilization is simple to describe but much more difficult to actually do. First, the process starts with compacting the soil. This makes sure that there is nowhere for the soil to sink to. Then, the site work contractor brings in additional soil to build the ground back up to the proper level. The additional stabilization soil is called fill material.

Preventing Flooding

Considering the amount of rain in Florida, planing work to prevent flooding is essential. Typically, the solution is to build up certain areas of the sit so the water is directed away from that area. Additionally, contractors have the option to dig drainage ditches towards the edges of the property. Those ditches pull and retain water away from the built-up part of the site.

In addition to the planing, landscaping also helps prevent flooding. In Florida, the focus is on using native plants and trees to create a natural barrier against flooding. Those plants hold the soil in place to prevent erosion. Trees especially, establish root systems to hold the soil in place. This preserves all of the work up to that point, especially stabilization and planing.